Thread by @Usherwood

It's Friday afternoon and I should be doing something else, so let's review where we after another week of Brexit fun:

1/

As so often, it's been a week of heat rather than light

2/

The fundamentals remain as they were: a government that's unable to push through its Withdrawal Agt, a Parliament that dislikes a lot more than it likes and an EU that doesn't see why it should make the first move in trying to help

3/

Clearly, attention has focused on Parliament, because that's where the most immediate opportunities for unblocking the impasse lie: next Tuesday's vote might offer some new pathways, even as the People's Vote line stalls

4/

However, the impression from No.10 is that May will have to be forceably dragged to ask for an Art.50 extension, even if the Cooper amendment succeeds there will be much road to travel

5/

Less noticed, but also of note was the unforced error by the Commission on the need for Irish border checks. Despite the row-back, this won't help the anti-backstoppers in the UK who challenge its need and/or duration

6/

And so we hang, everyone waiting on everyone else to make a move

7/

I understand it's now usual to wheel out the Mike Tyson line about everyone having a plan until they get punched in the face, but in this case it's evident we don't even need to get to the fist-visage-interface stage

8/

Given that brute political force isn't going to win this one, we're into a complex procedural battle.

That's a way to do it, but it's also lying the groundwork for another round of discontent over the outcome

9/

Process matters as much as outcome and that's getting rather lost at this stage

Which doesn't bode well for anything

10/

And that's about it. Maybe Tuesday moves things along, but it can only be a way-post to something more comprehensive.

So all to play for: which is well everyone is still playing to win and no-one's giving way

/end